


Rainfall

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-06-25 15:07:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15643251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: You and Rania get caught in the rain. Pure fluff ensues.





	Rainfall

Before today, you'd thought that Mistfall had so many trees and such thick fog that surely, it would offer shelter from any rain. But instead, rain drips down from the pine leaves, leaving pine-scented water in your hair and on your shirt, as the two of you ride hard back through the forest to return home. You'd be worried about Rania, but she's lived here her whole life and surely, it's rained in that time. Mistfall Lake doesn't appear to be fed by a waterfall the same way the Valedale Lake is, after all, so they must get plenty of rain.

Your horses' hooves splash through the puddles, sending water spraying up, and you worry about how they're managing to keep their footing. If they slipped, you know that the Jorvik Rangers would come and find you. But you don't want Rania to get hurt.

"Finally!" says Rania with a whoop as Dellingr's hooves change sound on the cobblestone road. It is muddy, but the change in sound is definitely there, more solid and less squishy. You follow Rania gratefully on your own Haflinger, very much looking forward to getting inside of the warm Varanger house. The lights of the townhouses of Dundull glow warmly through the gloomy weather, as they had when you'd set out earlier in the day. Rania had told you that it wouldn't rain, that the air didn't smell like rain. You're not sure if she was wrong or if she just wanted to be caught in the rain. It's probably the latter, Rania is a smart girl and doesn't let her blindness get in the way of having fun. And, just like you'd suspected, Rania manages to find her way home easily, Dellingr knowing exactly where to go even in the rain.

Dellingr slows to a stop in front of the Varanger cottage, his skin twitching in displeasure at being wet. It can't be comfortable for him. Your own horse echoes the sentiment, flicking his tail in annoyance at the water that drenches him.

"Do you think we should put the horses in the stable?" you ask, dismounting after Rania has dismounted. She frowns in concentration as she makes her way out of the mud puddle in front of the house.

"Yeah, I think Dellingr is a bit mad at me," says Rania, patting his withers. "Thanks for letting me off in a mud puddle, boy, I'm sure my mama is going to love that." Dellingr snorts and braces himself to shake like a dog. Feeling this, Rania quickly darts out of the way and slips inside of the cottage, laughing as she pulls you in behind her. "Did he get you?" Despite the laughter in her voice, she looks concerned.

"Well, I couldn't get much wetter," you say with a laugh of your own. You feel giddy, being so close to Rania. Being inside her house. Inside her front door. Both of you soaking wet, hair plastered to your faces. In the movies, this would be when you'd kiss. And Rania seems to know this, a small smile on her lips as she leans in. Closer. Closer.

"Rania! Is that you?" a familiar voice calls, and you jump away from the blind girl. Rania groans in annoyance.

"Yes, mama, I'm home!" she calls back. Under her voice, she mutters, "So close." You smile, though your heart pounds.

"Have you put Dellingr away?" Sigry calls back. Rania groans again, louder this time so that her mother can hear it. "Put him in the stable and rub him down, Rania."

"But it's wet and cold outside," says Rania, raising her voice to be heard by her mother.

"And you think he'll be any more comfortable than you out in that? Go on, now, the doc says that he can catch a cold if you're not careful," says Sigry.

"Ugh, fine," says Rania. She sighs, looking at you as she puts her hand on the doorknob. "Now I have someone to mother me and someone to mother my horse. It's great." She rolls her eyes, her voice sarcastic, but you know that she secretly loves the fact that her mother has found love again. Just as she has found love. On the same day, no less. You know that Rania believes that getting chased by wolves that day and everything else that happened was totally worth it for the outcomes. For the love. For the pure happiness.

"We should take care of our boys," you say.

"Well, at least Jolene keeps the stable warm and has mash and towels and things for the horses whenever it rains," says Rania. "So we don't have to do too much. Come on, let's head back out into the cold and wet."

"Do you have a raincoat?" you ask. Rania laughs.

"What, scared of a little rain?" she asks, teasing. You blush, glad that she can't see it.

"Rania, wear a raincoat!" Sigry hollers from further inside the house. Rania grumbles, finding the raincoat material and taking it off the hook on the back of the door. You see another one beside the one that Rania has taken and take it for yourself. This one is a teal colour, like the labcoat that Dr Eiren always wears. It's probably hers, come to think of it. It's a little big on you, but at least it'll keep you dry.

"Let's go before she tells me to bring an umbrella," says Rania with a grin. She opens the door, and the two of you step back outside into the rain, where two sodden boys look at you with as much anger as a soaking wet Haflinger can muster. The sight is, just quietly, hilarious, and you giggle a little to yourself as you see your horse shaking himself.

"Alright, we're taking you two to the stable now so you can be somewhere warm and dry too," you say, taking the reins of your horse. With how wet it is out here, you don't exactly want to climb into a wet saddle and deal with that. Rania doesn't either, taking Dellingr's reins. You watch, quietly in awe. You've never seen Rania lead her hose before, she's always ridden everywhere. But she leads Dellingr as easily as she rides him, using her cane to see where to go. Fortunately, the ground isn't too slippery, and the two of you make it to the stables without incident.

"Rania? What are you doing out in this weather?" Jolene calls, running out of the stable with an umbrella over her head. Rania shakes her head, laughing.

"Everyone wants to mother me today," says Rania. She leads Dellingr inside of the stable, where she finally lets go of his reins.

"Well, you shouldn't be out in this rain," says Jolene, coming over to begin untacking Dellingr. His tack is a little too slippery for Rania to deal with, or so Jolene thinks, but Rania seems perfectly content to let Jolene do it. "It's bad enough for those who have their full sight."

"She can handle it," you say, feeling the need to stand up for this girl. Even though you know that Rania can more than stand up for herself.

"Oh, I should've known she'd have an accomplice," says Jolene, shaking her head in good humour. "You two are always getting into trouble."

"Hey, if it wasn't her, it'd be Keema," says Rania with a laugh. You laugh too. You can only imagine the trouble that Rania and Keema would get up to. Even though the idea of them together sends a sting of jealousy through you. You want Rania all to yourself.

"Oh, gosh, that gives me shivers," says Jolene with a shudder as she finally succeeds in removing Dellingr's sodden saddle. The rest comes off easily, and Dellingr seems very happy to be tackless. He looks about to shake, and the three of you dive out of the way, you grabbing Rania the same way she'd grabbed you before. Dellingr huffs, annoyed at having missed his target, but Rania only pokes her tongue out at him.

While Jolene begins to rub down and dry Dellingr while fussing over him, you untack your own horse, who seems glad to be rid of the burden of his wet tack. You also pull the rainbow ribbons out of his mane and tail, wanting to keep them somewhere safe. They are so important to you, signifying your pride in your identity.

At last, both horses are settled comfortably in their stalls and you and Rania can begin the cold, wet walk home.

"I'd race you but then I'd probably trip and hurt myself and be in for another round of mothering," says Rania as you leave the stable.

"That's probably a good idea," you say. "Much as I really want to get home."

"You mean my home, right?" asks Rania.

"Yeah," you say, embarrassed at your slip-up. Your cheeks have been so warm, ever since Rania tried to kiss you earlier. Rania chuckles, her own cheeks seeming slightly darker. Maybe it's just the bad lighting out here. "But um. Home."

"No, wait," says Rania, holding your hand to stop you. Your heart thuds, almost painfully, in your chest. "Since there's no mama here to interrupt this time..."

She leans in, her lips slightly parted, her fingers gently touching your face to find your mouth. You can barely breathe, your mouth dry. But then, Rania's lips touch yours, sending warmth through you. Your heart seems to be thundering now, like the thunder of the wild herd in South Hoof, like the thunder of your horses when you race with Rania. And you swear that you can hear Rania's heart pounding too. You return the kiss before you forget, before you can get too caught up in the moment, before you're left standing there like a stunned mullet after the girl of your dreams has just kissed you. Rania smiles against your lips as she pulls away, her eyes half-closed.

"Kissing in the rain really is as romantic as it sounds in movies," she says, smiling. You can't stop grinning. You laugh, ignoring the rain plastering your hair to your skull. At least there's the raincoat protecting your shirt. Rania touches your face again, feeling how much you're grinning.

"They don't look so much like drowned rats in the movies, though," you say, laughing. "Well, most of the time."

"Mama does say that Hollywood likes to glamourise things," says Rania. "Like they'd glamourise me if they ever made a movie about how we kicked GED out of Mistfall. Keema thinks they should, but I dunno. We only saved our town, it's not like we ended world hunger or cured cancer or anything."

"That's still pretty big," you say. "You saved your town. Or we saved your town, I guess."

"It was a group effort, too," says Rania. "You, me, the doc, mama. And just like in the movies, all the heroes got the girl. Well, we are all girls, but you catch my drift." You laugh.

"Yeah," you say. "It was a happy ending after all."

"Well, I guess it won't be so much of a happy ending if we both get pneumonia," says Rania. "Mama's right about that. And she'll probably fuss enough when we get home, so we'd better not take too long."

"Just one thing first," you say. Before you can chicken out, you lean in and kiss Rania again, very much enjoying the feel of her lips on yours.

"I guess there won't be much of that back home," says Rania, pure happiness lighting her face. You laugh in agreement.

Later, after being fussed over by Sigry and changing into clean and dry clothes (not to mention a shower each, to warm up), you and Rania sit beside each other on the couch in the living room. Rania is snuggled up beside you, her feet beneath her, a warm mug of spicy-sweet tea in her hands. You wonder what's in it, but then, Sigry hands you the same brew.

"Drink up," says Sigry, sitting beside Dr Eiren again on the other couch. "It'll warm you up from the inside." You already feel plenty warm on the inside thanks to Rania, but you drink anyway. You very much enjoy the spicy-sweet flavours dancing on your tongue, smiling as you swallow it.

"Thank you," you say. Sigry smiles.

"I can't promise that you won't still catch a cold after being out in the rain for so long, but it'll at least keep you warm," says Sigry. "And, of course, you're welcome to stay here until the rain ends. Even overnight, if you must. But in separate beds."

"Mama," says Rania, blushing. You blush too.

"Of course," you say, eager to please the strong woman. "Jolene is looking after our horses, so I don't mind staying the night."

"I'll make stew for dinner," says Sigry. "And a hearty breakfast, of course. You'll never go hungry in the Varanger household."

"I'll say," says Dr Eiren with a chuckle, patting her stomach. "I've put on so much weight since moving here."

"You're a healthy weight now," says Sigry. She winks, and Dr Eiren blushes.

While the two banter, you relax on the couch with Rania. You feel so warm. So happy. So perfectly, utterly content. Even if your heart does speed up when Rania brushes your hand with her own.


End file.
